1. Technical Field
This invention concerns a stabilizer used in a vehicle and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
The stabilizer is used for limiting the body roll of vehicle. This body roll arises from the centrifugal forces that act on a vehicle while in motion, above all when cornering. A stabilizer is a device that links the movement of the springs found on the two wheels of one and the same axle of a vehicle. The stabilizer works so that when the load on the two wheels is uneven, the one with the highest load will be given a stiffer suspension while the one with the lowest load will be given a softer suspension. This possibility of controlling the suspension of a pair of wheels enables the body roll of the vehicle to be reduced.
A stabilizer comprises a rod or tube with essentially straight middle section and angled ends. Each end is fastened to its respective wheel suspension. At or near its middle section, the stabilizer is normally fastened to the body of the vehicle in such a way that it is allowed to turn around its longitudinal axis while the means of fastening offers damping.
All vehicle manufacturers strive to limit the weight of the component parts. One problem with a stabilizer manufactured in steel is that it has a high weight. This problem has been solved by using tubing instead. A tube with the same dimensions as a rod has a lower weight thanks to less mass but at the same time has a lower moment of inertia and resistance to torsion and is therefore not as strong or possesses the same characteristics.
Space is often the factor that controls the design of various components used in the manufacture of vehicles and a stabilizer must also be limited in size. To be able to use a tube instead of a rod, the tube must have a greater diameter in order to possess the same moment of inertia as a rod, which often makes the design too bulky.
The object of this invention is to offer a stabilizer with low weight and high strength and a simple and cost-cutting method of manufacturing the same.
One embodiment of the invention with respect to both the stabilizer and the method, plus further advantages of the invention and alternative designs/methods will be described below with references made to the figures.